Sham clips and sham structures



April 24, 1956 J. TEDALDI SHAM CLIPS AND SHAM STRUCTURES Filed July 29', 1955 INVENTOR JOHN L. TEDALDI m X J ATTORNEY Forthe display of .srnallmerehandise and' notions, store countersare usually madeof standard depths and widths, and are provided withedge rails, within 'whichareplaced false bottom sections, called shams. .Extendingthe entire depth of thecountenthey are narrower than'theirdepth, and are separated fromeachbtherby glass ;plates,pro-

United States Patent:

truding upwardsornewhathigher-than:the-shams. I Each I sham has a pairof-woodenside rails, which establish the height of the sham above the counter .top; and the rails are bridged bya plywood sheet normallyset in flush with theupper surface of the rails.

Lateral separators, usually glass, are supported transversely over and across the sham-surfaces Iby pairs of opposed clips aflixedto .the;sid.e rails :50 as to divide'the sham surfaee-intoa series of lateral compartments. These olipsjmust be capable of quick attachment to andremoval from the shamrails. Theymustbesecured .withnsufiicient rigidityto hold the lateralglassseparators erect, or at a predetermined angle, and secure against forces-exerted from time-to time by chance contact during handling.

It is-desirable that the space between the :laterals'eparators be-v'ariable in small increments, and :that adjust ments :be made readily without removing the shamfrorn the counter. Another desirable attribute .of :such clips is that a shambearing the clips and ilateralglass separators may be removable :from the :counter without danger of droppingfrom the sham.

Heretoforethese criteria have been achieved, to'a greater or less extent, by equipping the side :rails of the 'shams with vertically slotted brackets, or by drilling .into their upper surfaces rows of vertical holes, :into which glassholding clips may be inserted. fSuch clips are charac teristically sheet metal stampings having inward-facing vertical portions which rest at their lower ends on the sham surface.

The present invention employs certain novel principles, inciudingthe following:

The flanges of the channel portions which hold the lateral glass separators do not rest on the sham surface, but their lower edges are held raised spacedly above it and supported by a downward extension of the channel web. The lower-marginsof these flanges are indented concavely upward. The downward extension of the web is widened,-to form a base extended in width to orbeyond the indentation of'the flange, 'in fiat pattern. Finger-like projections, extending above the base into the indentations, are formed into grasping spring fingers. Additional retentive means, herein described, may-be provided to resist forces applied to the separators in a "forward or rearward direction, which tend to rotate-the clipand raise the spring fingers on one side. The provisions on the sham rails for the attachment of clips may consist merely of avertical saw cut in the top of each sham :rail parallel to its edge to receive the spring fingers. Theoutersides of the rails are preferably recessed or 'stepped inward anamountslightly greater than the thickness of the sheet metal .of theclip. This formsanarrowledge, which may be pricked and engaged .by retaining prongs projecting I sham.

2,743,148 Ratented Apr. 24, 1956 to the sham.

I These principles make possible the easy machine-cutting of sham rails in a single operation, and thezformation of clips integrally by sheet metal stamping processes.

In the accompanying drawings (one sheet);

Figure 1 is a plan view-of ,a-sheet'metal blank from which asham clip embodying the present invention may be formed. I

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a separatonc'lip formed from the blank shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevational viewofthreesuch sham .clips in place on adjacent shams, the shams :being shown'in section.

Figure 4 is a perspective viewof a modified form of sham clip.

Figure 5 isa perspective view ofa form of sham clip.

Figure 6 is a perspectiveview :of the modified fomrof the clip shown in Figure 5, in place on a fragment of a different modified Figure 7 is aperspective view of a further modified form-of sham clip e'mbodyingrthe present invention.

Figure 8 is a perspective =view of-a stilllditferent form of sham clip embodying the present invention. I

Referring now'to'thedrawings; by the reference numerals shown thereon, sham clips embodying the present invention may be stamped out of somewhat springy sheet metal, to the form of the 'blank 1 shown in Figure l.

The dashed lines in Figure l divide the blank 1' there shown into the portions thereof into which such blank is to be bent. Such portions include a channel'clip 2, being the entire upper portion of-theblank and comprising flanges '3 and a web 4; a downward extension'd of the channel web; a sham rail abutment plate portion 6 having at its upper side extremities spring fingers 7 having tips 8. It is to be noted from Figure 1 thatin order to provide material rer blanking the tips 8, of the spring fingers 7, the lower margins of the flanges 3 "contain rounded notches 9'having a greaterradiusthanthe radius of the tips 8. Also, the "width'ofthe flanges Sand the web 4 may togetherbe greater than the width of'the abutment plate portiond, so thatthe'blank i will be somewhat larger at its upper-portionthan at its lower.

Referring to Figure 2, the-finished clip has the flanges 3 bent forward from the web 4 an amount preferably in excess of-", to give the flanges 3 a-somewhat springlike holding ability. It is apparent that the rounded notches '9 aid to the springiness or" the flanges 3 by re moving some of the material which otherwise would resist spring-like bending. The upper corners of the flanges 3 have their corners removed and are formed I slightly outward to serve as separator guides iii.

The web 5 and its downward extension 5 may advantageously include an inwardly arched portion Ill to add strength. The amount of arching of this portion 1'1 is not so great as to affect the general shape of the clip and this shape is described, both in the specification and the claims, reference is sometimes made to the fact that the downward extension 5 and the abutmeut plate 6 are in the plane of the web 4. in such a description the arching of the arched portion 11 is disregarded for clarity.

Further referring to Figure 2, attention is .called to the fact that thespring fingers 7 have vertical portions 12. which form the upper outer extremities .of .the abutment plate 6, as well as their horizontal fingerportions 7 and their tip portions 8 which are bent downward. The tip portions 8 are further curved and somewhat idished so as to better their grasping qualities,

Referring to Figure 3, there is shown in section a new form of sham structure for which the separator clips were devised. The new sham structure, generally designated 13, is simpler to fabricate than any known form of sham. It consists essentially of two support rails 14 arranged parallel to each other and adapted to extend from the front to the rear of a store counter. The rails 14 have flat upper surfaces 15, and are connected to each other by a bridging sheet 16, preferably formed of plywood or composition hardboard, flush-joined with the upper support rail surfaces 15. On the upper surface of the bridging sheet and the support rail surfaces 15 rest a plurality of laterally extending separator partitions, normally made of glass, of which the separator 17 is typical. The outer side surfaces 18 consist of two portions, an upper side surface'portion 19 and a lower side surface portion 20, spaced outward therefrom the width of a laterally outward step 21 which divides them. The width of such laterally outward step 21 is slightly greater than the thickness of the metal of the blank 1.

The upper support rail surface 15 contains a vertical groove 22 having a width sutficient to accommodate the dished tip portions 8 of the spring fingers 7. The grooves 22 and the laterally outward step 21 are cut linearly along the length of the support rails 14. As a result, they are quickly machined by ordinary wood-working tools in a continuous operation before the support rails 14 are cut to length. This minimizes the amount of woodworking involved in the manufacture of the shams.

Referring again to Figure 3, clips 2 such as shown in Figure 2 are mounted upon the support rails 14 in opposed pairs, with their flanges extending inward, so that a glass separator 17 may be inserted and held therein in place upon the upper surface of the bridging sheet 16. The spring fingers 7 extend over the outer portions of the upper rail support surfaces 15, and the tips 8 grasp the support rails 14 between the grooves 22 and the upper side surface portions 19. Fore-andaft partitions 23 are inserted on the surface of the counter (not shown) between the lower side surface portions of adjacent shams, and these partitions 23 extend upward a height ordinarily equal to the height of the glass separator plates 17, so as to divide the surface of each bridging sheet 16 into a series of adjacent compartments, in which small items of merchandise may be conveniently stored, displayed for sale.

The use of such spring fingers 7, especially with vertical portions 12 extending alongside and spaced from the downward extension 5 of the channel web 4, normally provides sufficient grasping force to hold the lateral separator plates 17 rigidly in place and prevent tilting thereof. The wide spacing of the fingers 7 from each other provides a couple of parallel grasping forces to resist rotation; as for example, rolling under forces applied perpendicular to the surface of the separator plates 17.

Such grasping forces may be entirely adequate for this purpose in some applications. In others, however, shrinkage of the wood employed in making the sham support rails 14 may make advisable the use of addi tional means for retention against such rolling. One manner of providing such additional retention is shown in Figure 4, wherein the sham abutment plate 6 is equipped at its lower outer corners with downward projecting spur points 24. These spur points are adapted to penetrate into the laterally outward step 21 of a sham rail 14. Rolling of the clip 2 about a point in the upper support surface 15 under the edge of one of the fingers 7, cannot take place without rotation of the lower margin of the abutment plate 6, to be necessarily accompanied by translational movement of the spur point 24 beneath such finger 7. Inasmuch as this spur point 24 is imbedded in the step 21, rolling of the clip 2 is avoided; to remove it requires some vertically upward move ment of the entire clip 2.

Another manner ofachieving freedomfrorn such rolling is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, wherein the abutment plate 6' is equipped with a central narrow inwardly formed vertical blade 25, and the outer side surfaces 18 of the support rails 14 have a plurality of closely spaced vertical slots 26 which extend from the upper surfaces 15 downward to a level below the bottom of the vertical blade 25. The use of such slots 26 makes the manufacture of the support rails 14 somewhat more expensive, but nevertheless the use of such spaced slots 26 may be considered desirable for certain applications. if this construction is used, it is unnecessary to have the same tightness of grasp of the spring fingers 7 as shown in the other constructions. Accordingly, the abutment plate 6' may extend all the way to the upper support rail surfaces 15, and the spring fingers 7 may be formed without any vertical portions 12 as are shown in the figures heretofore discussed.

A still different construction, possessing great rigidity of affixment, is shown in Figure 7, wherein a tapered. vertical blade 27 is formed inwardly at the junction of the downward extension 5 of the channel web 4 and the abutment plate 6. This tapered vertical blade 27 in effect cuts its own shallow slot in the outer side surface 18 as the clip tip portions 8 are pressed into the groove 22. It will be noted that the wider portion of the tapered blade 27 is at a level approximately the same as the grasping tips 8. Not only does the tapered vertical blade 27 cut a groove for itself, but it also flexes the abutment plate 6 between the spring fingers 7 and holds the clip 2 secured against rocking by the springy distortion so induced in the abutment plate 6.

If the clips 2 are to be readily removed and reattached to the sham support rails 14, the cutting effect of such a tapering blade 27 may be objected to. Alternately, the structure shown in Figure 8 may be used. Here, at the same'point at the juncture of the abutment plate 6 and the downward extension 5, instead of such vertical blade 27, there is provided an inwardly protruding leaf spring 28 aligned vertically and having its pressure point 29 approximately at the same level as the grasping tips 8 of the spring fingers 7. While such pressure point 29 of the leaf spring 28 will not cut the outer side surface 18, it will serve both as a frictional retention and as a means of bowing the abutment plate 6 against the restraint of the fingers 7, assuring tight fit on the support rails 14.

The embodiments of invention above described represent several of the possible applications thereof. No other sham clip and sham structure heretofore devised possesses such possibilities of infinite variation of spacing of the separator plate 17, nor have constructions heretofore in use been so readily and inexpensively formed.

Modifications of the embodiments here shown will be apparent to those skilled in the art; and the present invention should not be restricted beyond the inventive principles herein disclosed and the scope of the claims hereof.

I claim:

1. For use on store display counters, a sham and separator clip structure, comprising a sham having a pair of parallel support rails, a bridging sheet supported upon and between the support rails and having its upper surface flush with the upper support rail surfaces, further having a groove in the upper surface of each support rail parallel to its upper outer edge, in combination with a sheet metal separator clip adapted for quick, adjustable securement thereon and comprising an inward-facing vertical channel having flanges adapted to support a separator between them, the web of said channel having a downward extension, an integral sham rail abutment plate in the plane of and extending beneath and to each side of the downward extension of the channel web and adapted to bear against the outer side of one of said support rails, the upper side extremities of said abutment plate having bent-overspring finger portions formed inward substantially perpendicular to the plane of the abutment plate, the tips of said spring portions being formed downward and adapted to enter into the groove in the upper surface of one of the sham support rails and to grasp the said support rail between the groove and the outer side thereof.

2. For use on store display counters, a sham and separator clip structure, comprising a sham having a pair of parallel support rails, a bridging sheet supported upon and between the support rails and having its upper surface flush with the upper support rail surfaces, further having a groove in the upper surface of each support rail parallel to its upper outer edge and a laterally outward step on each support rail spaced below its upper surface, in combination with a sheet metal separator clip adapted for quick, adjustable securement thereon and comprising an inward-facing vertical channel having flanges adapted to support a separator between them, the web of said channel having a downward extension, an integral sham rail abutment plate in the plane of and extending beneath and to each side of the downward extension of the channel Web and adapted to bear against the outer side of one of said support rails, the thickness of the abutment plate being not greater than the width of the step on said support rail, and the depth of the plate being not greater than the distance said step is spaced below the upper surface of said rail, the upper side extremities of said abutment plate having bent-over spring finger portions formed inward substantially perpendicular to the plane of the abutment plate, the tips of said spring portions being formed downward and adapted to enter into the groove in the upper surface of one of the sham support rails V to the plane of the abutment plate, the tips of said spring and to grasp the said support rail between the groove and the outer side thereof.

3. For use on store display counters, a sham and separator clip structure, comprising a sham having a pair of parallel support rails, a bridging sheet supported upon and between the support rails and having its upper surface flush with the upper support rail surfaces, further having portions being formed downward and slightly outward toward the abutment plate and adapted to enter into the groove in the upper surface of one of the sham support rails and to grasp the said support rail between the groove and the outer side thereof.

4. A sham and separator clip structure as defined in claim 2, the abutment plate having a lower margin adjacent the support rail step, further having a downward projecting spur adapted to penetrate into the surface of the laterally outward step of the support rail to which said clip may be applied.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,765,935 Morton June 24, 1930 1,846,862 Guthrie Feb. 23, 1932 1,867,107 Schmidt July 12, 1932 2,026,953 Schott Jan. 7, 1936 2,125,747 Zadek Aug. 2, 1938 2,193,889 Sliger Mar. 19, 1940 2,265,708 Westbrook Dec. 9, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 455,544 Great Britain Oct. 22, 1936 

